Use GoodSearch to search the web and to shop and make money for AGSDR! Enter Austin German Shepherd Rescue as the charity.

Adopting a Dog From Austin German Shepherd Rescue

Please do not apply if you plan to house your dog:

outside

outside during the day

outside at night

outside while you are gone

outside when he/she grows up

in the garage or shed or barn even if it is air conditioned

in the very nice shady backyard with access to a doghouse

in the very nice shady backyard with a high fence

in the very nice shady backyard with lots of toys and water

in the very nice shady backyard in a large wire kennel, or

in any other non-house environment,

We have socialized most of our rescued dogs for INDOOR ONLY HOMES. Exceptions will be noted in their biography information.

AGSDR Policy

While some organizations are comfortable adopting into mostly outdoor homes, AGSDR is not. If you want a mostly outdoor dog, or if you simply disagree with AGSDR’s restrictions, please explore adoption from other rescue organizations, or a local shelter in your area.

Quality over Quantity

AGSDR serves a small segment of the adoption market, and seeks only the highest quality situations for our rescued dogs. We leave large quantity adoptions to the big shelters like SPCA and Humane Society. Quantity of adoption is not our mission.

Why?

We believe it is in the best interest of our dogs to live in homes where they will truly be part of the family, as INDOOR pets, adequately protected from theft, disease, escape, skin conditions, torment by neighborhood teens, etc. You will be better protected from the Texas felony dog bite laws. After all, true members of the family live indoors and spend quality time enjoying each other. GSD's are social creatures and thrive on companionship and interaction and comfort, as children do.

Dogs are Inconvenient

We believe that putting a dog outside, unsupervised, for any length of time is NOT in the best interest of the dog, but rather is merely for the convenience of the owner. However, just like children, dogs ARE inconvenient. If you are going to adopt a dog, get used to inconvenience, and be ready for the commitment that goes along with choosing that. If you are looking for a dog that IS convenient, and doesn't make messes, doesn't chew or scratch anything, doesn't crave attention, and behaves all the time, we recommend "Toys 'R Us" - the stuffed animal section

DOG VISITS AND TELEPHONE CALLS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY

We are not a shelter. We have no central facility.

All of our dogs live in private homes with volunteer foster families who donate their time and energy to rescue and socialize these dogs. Volunteers handle administration tasks from various parts of Texas via telephone and internet.

Why can’t I visit the dog until after I’ve been screened?

Again, all of our dogs are housed in private homes with volunteers. To enhance the safety and security of our volunteer foster families, our dogs can only be visited by approved adopters. AGSDR must screen your application, and process it, and visit YOU, before you may contact any of our foster families and visit the dogs. We understand that this may be inconvenient, but we are sure you'd appreciate the same respect for your safety and security if you chose to volunteer your time to become a foster family.

Adoption FAQ... To help you make sure adopting from us is right for you, read thesecommon questions and answers.

Before You Adopt... German Shepherd Dogs are not for everyone. To help you make sure a German Shepherd is the right dog for your family, you can read this. Not every GSD is like Rin Tin Tin!

Approval Process... We always do our best to act in the best interest of the dogs in our program, and we take the safety and security of our foster families seriously. To those ends, we have an approval process. Please don’t ask us to make exceptions, skip steps, or change our process for your convenience. Our process is about the best interest of the dogs and the best protection for the foster families. Here's a summary...what you need to know before you apply, and what to expect after!

Adoption Contract... This is the contract you will sign after you have been approved to adopt a dog. AGSDR enforces our contracts, so please be sure you agree with everything in the contract because you will be required to sign it, without interlineations. If you don’t agree with the terms and conditions, we understand, and we encourage you to visit a shelter or another organization to adopt.

Tips on Dog Selection and Ownership So you've found the dog for you and you're ready to adopt! Hooray! Here is some info to help you out with your new dog! Remember that strong leadership, patience, responsible training, love, and high quality food all go a long way towards creating a happy healthy family member of your new GSD.

Ten Commandments for a Loving, Responsible Pet Owner...

My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

Give me time to understand what you want of me.

Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

Don't be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment. You have your work, your friends, your entertainments. But I have only you.

Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget it.

Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I have teeth that could easily crush the bones in your hand, and yet I choose not to bite you.

Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me.
Perhaps I’m not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long or my heart might be getting old or weak.

Please take care of me when I grow old. You too will grow old.

On the difficult journey, on the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can’t bear to watch.
Don’t make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Because I love you so.